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Thanks, VL. That clears it up, somehow I missed part of that in reading. And a very good point about Newfoundland... maybe there will be a sequel?
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Yeah I'm really hoping the dates there were on purpose. I've been considering writing Kowalski to find out for sure.
Since my last post I've finished the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Excellent modern day fairytale, but I had forgotten how different it is from the movie.
Night of Knifes I'm still reading. Really well written but I'm taking it slow. It adds quite a bit of back history to the Malazan series.
Sphere by Micheal Crichton. Typical Crichton fare with lots of pseudo-science and speculation. Enjoyable enough of a read, though I blew through it pretty quick.
Just started Gears of War: Aspho Fields by Karen Traviss. This one is based on the Gears of War video games. Timeline wise it is set between the first and second games, with flashbacks to events before the first game. It is considered to be canon by the game creators. So..I'm a big fan of the Gears games, but I really didn't expect much from this novel. I must say that thus far (I'm at 23% according to Kindle) I am pleasantly surprised. Don't get me wrong, its not exactly high literature, however it is well written and the story is engaging. In terms of quality, I would rank it with the better Star Wars expanded universe novels.
And finally, I begun reading my book on Egyptian grammar and hieroglyphs again.
From: Fort McMurray | Registered: Nov 2004
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Reading Stephen King's 11/22/63, another time travel book. The last Stephen King I read was The Stand, and I just gave up about 2/3 of the way through, it just went on and on.
This one is much more to my liking. The main character, Jake Epping, is an English teacher who gets recruited by a dying friend to go back in time and prevent the assassination of JFK.
King writes charmingly but succinctly about the differences between the 1950s and today (the 50s smelled worse but tasted better). And of course, there's a love story. I shouldn't say "of course", this being Stephen King, but time travel stories seem to favour the time-crossed lovers dilemma.
It's a brick of a book, over 800 pages. Just part way through but it's a winner so far. King notes in an afterword that he tried to write this book in 1972, but the event was still too fresh, and he's glad he waited. So am I.
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^ I haven't read much King (The Long Walk is the only one that springs to mind) but that one and his other recent one, Under the Dome, really appeal.
I haven't read a book in ages so since I'm on holidays I picked up a book on a whim - The Infinities by the Booker-prize winning author, John Banville. It was exactly the WRONG kind of book to get me back into reading!
It's not a long or overly-difficult read but I needed something punchy and interesting to respark my love of books and this one is just way too dry and maudlin. He's obviously a very gifted wordsmith but I am about 3/4 of the way through the book and NOTHING has happened. Just a family waking up and going about their morning business while thinking about each other and their lives. That's been it for about 200 pages! The only interesting hook so far is that some of the Greek Gods are manipulating things behind the scenes but none of that has really amounted to much yet either.
I'm thinking of finally starting on the Game of Thrones books next so hopefully they'll provide me with the excitement I crave.
From: Australia | Registered: Dec 2003
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Drift by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. It's an easy read on a weighty topic. Rachel writes very much like she talks on her show. There's an easy and conversational wit. She explores the reasons that the United States has drifted from the founding father's ideas of no standing military, requiring approval of Congress for war, and limited Presidential powers to a permanent war footing. She makes her points in a way that appeals to the sensibilities of modern conservatives. It's well researched.
[ July 15, 2012, 09:26 AM: Message edited by: Jerry ]
-------------------- No regrets, Coyote.
From: Missouri | Registered: Oct 2003
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Last five books I've read: Dune, The Castle of Llyr(huge Prydain fan), Blood Rites (Dresden Files), Animal Farm, Death Masks (Dresden Files).
Currently reading Dead Beat (Dresden Files)
On deck: Taran Wanderer, The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian, and Autumn Twilight. All fantasy. Have never read any Conan works (except the comics) or the dragonlance stuff either.
From: Tampa | Registered: Mar 2004
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I am currently reading Larry Correia's stuff, the Grimnoir and the Monster Hunters. Trying to find them in order (a pet peeve personally of mine is not reading books in proper order, it can alter the perceptions of things and twist them into something the author didn't intend, I've noticed. but, its just one of mine, I don't think everyone feels that way, lol).
Really trying to find new authors to read, but it's very difficult considering I have particular tastes.
-------------------- Damn you, you kids! Get off my lawn or I'm callin' tha cops!
quote:Originally posted by Fat Cramer: Reading Stephen King's 11/22/63, another time travel book...
I *just* finished this last night, FC... I LOVED it. The last few pages choked me up. Story pages, I mean... LOL. King's afterword was interesting in getting his sources and perspective.
Definitely a book I intend to reread someday.
-------------------- "Anytime a good book like this is cancelled, I hope another Teen Titan is murdered." --Cobalt
"Anytime an awesome book like S6 is cancelled, I hope EVERY Titan is murdered." --Me
From: Up a Gumtree | Registered: Jul 2003
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That's next up for me. I can't remember if I posted about it but I loved 'Under the Dome'. IMO his best since Green Mile.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Just back from 10 days in the trailer. As we crossed the border into the States I realised I hadn't packed a book. On our first re-supply stop options were limited, so I picked up "Game of Thrones". Only got a few chapters in, but it's been pretty good so far. It's certainly written in a very cinematic style, so I can see how it would easily be adapted to the HBO series (which I haven't seen). Hopefully I'll have more time to get to it over the summer.
From: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: That's next up for me. I can't remember if I posted about it but I loved 'Under the Dome'. IMO his best since Green Mile.
I'm about 300 pages deep into Under the Dome (an inclination caused by a combination of a recent urge to read some King prose and your random recommendation) as we speak. A very suspenseful, engaging King work, thus far, highlighting his gift for creating a large cast of memorable characters. Thus far, trying to figure out what exactly is causing the Dome phenomenon is a real stumper, though secondary to watching various dominoes fall as they inevitably will.
My wife has all the Stephen King books and collections (except for the Dark Tower books which hold no interest for her). Prior to Dome, the only four King books I'd read were The Stand, The Shining, Salem's Lot and It. I enjoyed all four a great deal, so I'm not sure why I haven't partaken of a lot more with most of them so readily available.
More reports as they develop! I hope to read 11/22/63 soon after...if my mother-in-law ever finishes borrowing it.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Glad to hear you're reading it! The way King is able to introduce, develop and then just totally realize the characters is beyond fascinating, and he really does that well in Dome.
I don't want to spoil anything, but there is one recurring interaction between two characters that I found incredibly moving and by the end of the book I literally teared up. When you finish, I'll tell you who!
Meanwhile, I haven't hated a character like Jim Rennie in a longtime...and it's because he's such a realistic bastard. (As opposed to, say, Flagg or the Clown in It).
My favorite King books have now settled on Salem's Lot and Dolores Claiborne. The latter was so good that I can't really describe why. I've read about half of King's books, including a lot of the famous ones.
[ July 30, 2012, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: Cobalt Kid ]
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
My fave is still It, followed by the first 7/8ths of the Stand (the ending left me feeling blah...)
The girl who Loved Tom Gordon is a great story, and not at all what I expected from a King book...but yet, everything that I love about him as a writer. Really surprised that it hasn't been turned into a movie.
11/22/63 is next on my list to read when I get a chance.
From: Turn around... | Registered: Jul 2003
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My favorite King books have now settled on Salem's Lot and Dolores Claiborne. The latter was so good that I can't really describe why. I've read about half of King's books, including a lot of the famous ones.
I think of the 4 I've read, it's a toss-up between Salem's Lot and The Shining for my faves. I love the other two as well, but these really benefit from their relative brevity, methinks. I mean, I love the immersive experience of the other two, but I generally find these shorter ones scarier and more taut.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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King's afterword was interesting in getting his sources and perspective. ![[Yes]](graemlins/nod.gif)
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